Euthanasia

Assisted Suicide
Mercy Killing

to quote a few other synonyms. This is an emotive and difficult subject, on which people hold strongly and sincerely held beliefs. On both sides of the argument. What I write below is my own personal opinion, and I do not ask anyone to agree with me. If I offend anyone, please accept my assurance that this was unintentional - if you find the subject matter too distressing, you may want to click the red X in the top right corner of this window.

BBC News this evening featured a woman, aged 30, who was crippled with multiple debilitating conditions, which reduced her quality of life to zero. She was in extreme pain, and the only way to control it would be to administer a large dose of morphine. So large in fact, that it would stop her breathing and end her life.

A year or so ago, a woman suffering from motor neurone disease, a progressive and incurable disease of the nervous system, travelled from the UK to Switzerland to be administered a fatal combination of drugs. Motor neurone disease ends in death through paralysis of the muscles, involved in breathing. Patients end up paralysed to increasingly large extent.

Euthanasia is illegal in the United Kingdom, and those found to have assisted someone to die can face prosecution under a murder or manslaughter charge. That was the reason why the second person, featured above, travelled abroad.

There is a fierce debate whether it should be legalised. Those in favour say that it curtails unnecessary suffering for those who cannot expect any improvement in their condition, only a deterioration, and for those who have no quality of life left. Those against state that it is premeditated murder, aided and abetted by doctors or other health professionals.

I would like to point to Holland, where the debate on euthanasia was conducted in the 1970s, resulting in a code of practice. Any patient who wishes to be euthanised needs to meet strict criteria. Any GP, confronted with such a request has to seek a second opinion. If all the criteria are met, an arrangement will be made with the local chemist to provide the necessary. Or, for treatment to be discontinued.

There is a section of patients who are unable to request euthanasia, or give consent - those who are unconscious, in a coma or what is termed a permanently vegetative state. Euthanasia is NOT permitted in these cases - it is a requirement for the patient himself or herself to state the request or agree to it. The only exception is if the patient made up a codicil with the request to withdraw or withhold treatment in such a contingency. Consent then has to be sought from next-of-kin for euthanasia to be carried out.

After the patient's death, the legal authorities have to be notified. They will then ensure that correct procedure has been followed. No prosecution will follow.

It is a model that has worked well over the last 30 years in The Netherlands, but is not a guarantee for success in other countries.

Generally, a debate has to be conducted in the United Kingdom on whether or not to permit euthanasia. There will be a steady trickle of cases, as outlined above, where people are suffering without prospect of improvement or amelioration of symptoms. It will be an emotional process, but a necessary one.

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